1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data storage device for downloading, into a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, control data such as a variety of programs and information for controlling operations of an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic devices, such as printers, are exported to various countries around the world. Often, specifications of the electronic devices differ depending on the target country, to which the electronic devices are to be shipped out. Even though the target country, to which the electronic devices are to be shipped out, are the same, specifications of the electronic devices will still differ depending on a model type of the electronic devices.
It is noted that when a different control board is produced and mounted to an electronic device for each different model and for each target county, then the number of parts mounted in the electronic devices will increase.
In view of this problem, recently a general use control board is mounted in each electronic device. The control board is produced to mount thereon a flash memory as a program memory device. Only a main program downloaded to the flash memory is changed according to the model type and to the target country. In more detail, a common boot loader program is prestored in the flash memory. The boot loader is the same for all the countries and for all the model types. The boot loader is used to download a main program especially for each country and for each model type into the flash memory. The electronic device thus mounted with the control board stored with the main program is treated as a corresponding model and shipped out to a corresponding country.